Aucklanders and Wellingtonians Ignore Engine Warning Lights

Fifty per cent of Aucklanders are
turning to DIY car service jobs to save
money

Auckland 26 August, 2014-
Despite an increasingly positive economic outlook,
almost half of respondents(45%) in a Canstar Blue survey
examining car servicing, have admitted to getting their car
serviced less regularly in order to save money.

The
majority of Aucklanders (57%) only take their car to be
serviced when a specific issue needs to be resolved rather
than as a preventative measure based on the suggested
kilometres between services.

Canstar New Zealand General
Manager, Derek Bonnar says that Aucklanders are most likely
to pick up a spanner and become DIY mechanics.

“50% are
performing basic elements of a car service, such as changing
the oil, filters or air cleaners themselves to save some
cash. Men are the most likely to participate in DIY car
servicing (46%) while women have a greater tendency to leave
it in the hands of the professionals.”

Middle agers like
to shop around for the best deal, with more than two thirds
of Generation X checking out their options when it comes to
car servicing, compared to just over half of Generation
Ys.

The incidence of Aucklanders and Wellingtonians
ignoring their engine warning lights is on the rise from
2013, with one in four not paying attention to alerts.

The
survey has also shown that 37% of Aucklanders and 31% of
Wellingtonians never check the oil level in their car, says
Bonnar.

“It only takes a minute to check oil and engine
fluid levels. In the long run this could save car owners
money on servicing.

“It is a concern alongside the
finding that a third of Aucklanders and Wellingtonians
believe that modern cars don’t need regular
servicing.”Taking out the top spot for the second year
in a row, Oil Changers received 5 star ratings across all
eight categories in the survey.

1. Value for
money2. Time taken3. Cost of any parts
required4. Warranty of repairs5. Effectiveness of
repairs6. Customer service7. Advice
received8. Overall satisfaction with car servicing
providerIt’s two wins in a row for Oil Changers who
have recorded a perfect five star score across the board,
says Bonnar.“Customers are most satisfied when their
service provider delivers the right mix of advice, service
and value for money. Oil Changers has got the right
recipe.”

Auckland:
Aucklanders are most likely to only get their car
fixed if it fails a warrant (38%), most likely to take their
car to get serviced when a specific issue needs to be
resolved rather than based on the suggested kilometres
between services (57%), most likely to have performed some
elements of a basic car service at home to save money (50%),
most likely to want to do their own basic car service but
don’t know how (53%), most likely to shop around for car
services (57%), most likely to never check the oil level in
their car (37%) and the equal most likely(with Wellington)
to ignore their engine warning lights
(25%).

Waikato: People from the Waikato
are least likely to get their car serviced less regularly to
save money (35%), least likely to take their car to be
serviced when a specific issue needs to be resolved rather
than based on the suggested kilometres between services
(40%), least likely to have performed some elements of a
basic car service at home to save money (33%), equal least
likely (with Canterbury) to believe that modern cars don’t
need regular servicing (19%) and equal least likely (with
Canterbury) to shop around for car services
(46%).

Wellington: Wellingtonians are
most likely to get their cars serviced less regularly to
save money (48%), most likely to think that modern cars
don’t need regular servicing (35%) and equal most likely
(with Auckland) to have ignored engine warning lights
(25%).

Canterbury: Cantabrians are the
least likely to only get their car fixed if it fails a
warrant (20%), the equal least likely (with Waikato) to not
think that modern cars need regular servicing (19%), least
likely to want to do their own basic car service but don’t
know how (34%), least likely to never check the oil level in
their car (8%) and least likely to ignore their engine
warning lights (7%).

About the
surveyWe partner with respected professional
market research agency Colmar Brunton Australia, who
undertake research on our behalf using Your Source.The
outcomes reported here are from the 337 people who have had
their car serviced in the last 2 years by a car servicing
chain (e.g. Midas, UItratune, etc.) . The survey has a
margin of error of 5.1%Age
Groups:Gen Y: 18-29Gen X: 30-44Baby
Boomers: 45+

About
Canstar Blue:Canstar Blue is a division of
financial research and ratings company, CANSTAR, which has been operating in New
Zealand for nearly a decade.

Canstar Blue uses market
research to determine customer satisfaction ratings across a
range of products and services in New Zealand to help
consumers make the best purchasing decisions for their
needs. Canstar Blue conducts similar research in Australia.
New ratings are added regularly. Results are freely
available to consumers who are encouraged to use the ratings
as a guide to product excellence. The results can be seen at
www.canstarblue.co.nz.

About
CANSTAR:Founded in 1992, CANSTAR Pty Limited is
Australia and New Zealand's premier researcher of retail
finance information for over 350 institutions such as banks,
building societies, credit unions, finance companies,
brokers, mortgage originators, life companies and finance
related internet portals. CANSTAR customers use the
extensive database for competitor analysis as well as a
means of disseminating their product range. This information
is also distributed to print and electronic media for
publication and to agents, accountants, brokers and internet
portals for use in advising their
clients.

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